New Criteria Could Expand Number of Liver Transplant Candidates

[Guest guest]

FRIDAY,

Dec. 5 (HealthDay News) -- Many patients with liver

cancer who don't meet criteria used to select transplant patients could

actually be good candidates for liver transplantation, according to an Italian

study.

The Milan

criteria specifies that liver cancer patients with a single tumor of 5

centimeters or less in diameter, or three or fewer tumors, each no more than 3

cm in diameter and with no macrovascular invasion,

can expect an excellent outcome after liver transplantation, with only a 10

percent risk of cancer recurrence.

Survival

of patients who don't meet the criteria is unpredictable, and there are no

evidence-based guidelines to help doctors select patients who exceed the

criteria but might benefit from receiving a new liver, according to background

information in the study.

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_72478.html

Barb in Texas - Together in the Fight - Whatever it

Takes!

Son Ken (34) UC 91 PSC 99, LTX 6/21 & 6/30 2007

@ Baylor/Dallas